SUBWAY - Random Thoughts Topic

[trainfan22]

When the R142A was new, I heard they was so fast that they didn't register on the control board at RCC so they had to be slowed down. I'm sure the orginal programmed 142As can hit 70.

 

I wouldn't be surprised once the SIR R211s hit service they could peak at 70 on those rush hour express runs. SIR is a little faster than NYCT, their rolling stock isn't nerfed like NYCT is. 

[Calvin]

I wonder, how come the  and runs local on 4th Avenue (between 36 St and Barclays Center) starting at 6:30 PM during the weekday PM rush? Although, on weekends, it's local during the late nights, past 10:30 PM.  

Edited November 18, 2022 by Calvin

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

43 minutes ago, Calvin said:

I wonder, how come the  and runs local on 4th Avenue (between 36 St and Barclays Center) starting at 6:30 PM during the weekday PM rush? Although, on weekends, it's local during the late nights, past 10:30 PM.  

Work trains are running up 4th Avenue to wherever they're headed, around that time (which are super slow). It wasn't always like that, that was changed a few years ago. They couldn't think of any other way to have the  and  trains run without massive delays on weekdays. Weekends, those work trains are usually already out there.

[darkstar8983]

8 hours ago, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Work trains are running up 4th Avenue to wherever they're headed, around that time (which are super slow). It wasn't always like that, that was changed a few years ago. They couldn't think of any other way to have the  and  trains run without massive delays on weekdays. Weekends, those work trains are usually already out there.

A lot of GOs now start as early as 8:45PM, so they need to exit the 36 St yard sooner. Before; the express service on 4 Av headed into Manhattan ended around 8:30-9PM, which is why maybe it wasn’t too noticeable, and there was only 1 West End train that would go up Culver to start service at Broadway-Lafayette St. When the change was first made, there were extensive delays on the  and  since the “express to local” GO on 4 Av was a spontaneous change (not planned, meaning there was no scheduled coordination for which order to send trains up the local track). The  (since it ends at Stillwell Av at a bumper block) just had to squeeze all its trains on the local track of 4 Av, while the  had alternating trains going up Brighton, which all it did was move the conflict of merging up to DeKalb Av.

 

at least this current routing provides more service than the alternatives:

1. Maintaining the  and  on regular headways (10 minutes), but ending the  train early (around 7PM) and likely forcing the  to make local stops on Central Park West from 7:30PM to 11PM.

2. Maintain the  and  on regular headways but ending the  train early (around 6:30PM) and forcing the uptown  to make local stops from 59’St Brooklyn to Astoria via Lower Manhattan.

 

in both alternatives the bottleneck at DeKalb Av would be eliminated because you would only have 20 TPH entering the station (8  trains, 6  trains and 6 leftover trains  or , depending on the alternative)

Edited November 18, 2022 by darkstar8983

[Wallyhorse]

On 11/14/2022 at 5:29 PM, RandomRider0101 said:

The large gaps in service are definitely frustrating; 15-20+ mins. for a train is absolutely ridiculous & unnacceptable. I've personally seen it too many times, whether it's the with the R46s, or even the with the R160s (the best performing cars in the fleet).

You have alot of valid points which I don't discredit. I would never suggest that they scrap stuff without ready replacements. I think the real issue is that the R32s were in service for so long (due to their retirement being pushed back many years for multiple reasons), that seeing them finally get retired for good is a relief for me and others. I don't hate them, but they are waaay past their prime (lol) and needed a permanent rest (from passenger service). At least railfans got to say a proper goodbye.

And that issue was because FOUR classes of cars that came after the R32s (R38, R40/M, R42 and R44) all were retired, in some cases earlier than they could have been if they had been built like the R32s.  The R32s were pressed into being in service far longer than they otherwise would have been IMO. 

[JustTheSIR]

16 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

When the R142A was new, I heard they was so fast that they didn't register on the control board at RCC so they had to be slowed down. I'm sure the orginal programmed 142As can hit 70.

 

I wouldn't be surprised once the SIR R211s hit service they could peak at 70 on those rush hour express runs. SIR is a little faster than NYCT, their rolling stock isn't nerfed like NYCT is. 

Can’t wait for an R211S to suck me into the tracks at the southern end of the Tompkinsville platform 👍

[RandomRider0101]

21 hours ago, trainfan22 said:

When the R142A was new, I heard they was so fast that they didn't register on the control board at RCC so they had to be slowed down. I'm sure the orginal programmed 142As can hit 70.

 

I wouldn't be surprised once the SIR R211s hit service they could peak at 70 on those rush hour express runs. SIR is a little faster than NYCT, their rolling stock isn't nerfed like NYCT is. 

Yeah, I've heard people say that the R142A is faster than the R142; so that's not surprising. At it's top speed, a 10-car R142A could probably pass by you in just under 5 seconds.

[RandomRider0101]

7 hours ago, Wallyhorse said:

And that issue was because FOUR classes of cars that came after the R32s (R38, R40/M, R42 and R44) all were retired, in some cases earlier than they could have been if they had been built like the R32s.  The R32s were pressed into being in service far longer than they otherwise would have been IMO. 

I agree; the R38, R40, R42, & R44 all took a step backwards due to them not being 100% stainless steel. That was a cost-saving measure since carbon steel was cheaper. In the end, it came back to haunt NYCT and us as commuters.

Edited November 18, 2022 by RandomRider0101

[Maxwell179]

On 11/17/2022 at 3:16 PM, texassubwayfan555 said:

I would love to see a video of this. And imagine activating the emergency brake at that speed.

This isn’t that exact video but here’s one of a R142 speeding

 

[RandomRider0101]

6 hours ago, Maxwell179 said:

This isn’t that exact video but here’s one of a R142 speeding

 

This is the video that I saw before, where it zoomed past the station like it was on express tracks. Definitely a rare sight; This had to be at night as that would never happen during the day.

Edited November 19, 2022 by RandomRider0101

[texassubwayfan555]

Does anyone else miss painted subway cars? From redbirds to bluebirds to greenbirds, the blue door R32, and the famous blue stripe Corporate scheme, the NYC subway used to be quite colorful (when the cars were not covered in graffiti). But every car from the R62 onwards has been made of stainless steel, only broken up by the temporary occasional ad/promotional wrap or Cuomo stripes. Why did NYCT move away from painting subway cars?

[Kamen Rider]

Painting the trains costs money. Also the older cars needed to be painted to prevent them from rusting. Stainless Steel doesn't require that. So... in the long run, they are saving a massive pile of money by not painting them. 

[texassubwayfan555]

10 hours ago, Kamen Rider said:

money

With the MTA always running out of it, I propose they let railfans volunteer to do light tasks for them. (Some railfans would love to)

[Kamen Rider]

That brings up liabilities the legal department is not going to be comfortable with.

[RandomRider0101]

Yea, I don't think letting railfans do anything would be a good idea. Alot of these "fans" a.k.a. foamers are uncivilized today as it is already; the many recent events that have taken place are evidence of this.

[AlgorithmOfTruth]

49 minutes ago, texassubwayfan555 said:

With the MTA always running out of it, I propose they let railfans volunteer to do light tasks for them. (Some railfans would love to)

Nah, since those railfans wouldn't be considered employees, they wouldn't have access to protections that employees have, which means that if anything happens to them performing any work, they wouldn't be able to sue or collect worker's compensation if they get injured, and let's be honest, the  isn't about helping anyone really, they're about helping themselves. Even if those railfans were properly trained and guided by someone in the know, they still could get injured, and THEY would be the one paying that bill.

[trainfan22]

IIRC, the museum fleet is worked on by volunteers who aren't employed by NYCT, in NYCT maintenance shops. Heard that years ago.

 

It's too bad the shore line trolley museum and the trolley museum in Maine is so far from NYC as I'm sure they use some young hands to work on the equipment at those places. As it is it's mostly older men who volunteer at those New England museums. They all have NYC Subway cars in their collection BTW.

[Fresh Pond]

On 11/15/2022 at 8:03 AM, texassubwayfan555 said:

When will you get trained to operate the R211?

No time soon

[T to Dyre Avenue]

On 11/18/2022 at 4:03 PM, RandomRider0101 said:

Yeah, I've heard people say that the R142A is faster than the R142; so that's not surprising. At it's top speed, a 10-car R142A could probably pass by you in just under 5 seconds.

That’s one reason why they don’t operate R142s and R142As in the same train. They briefly tried that in the summer of 2001 in both  and  service. 

[Calvin]

This year, the holiday train will be on the IRT A Division. The consist will be the Train of Many Colors, R33/36 Redbirds. Color palette of Red, Green, Blue and Silver.

Route:  line between 137 St-City College and Chambers St

nytransitmuseum.org/nostalgiarides

Edited November 22, 2022 by Calvin

[trainfan22]

30 minutes ago, Calvin said:

This year, the holiday train will be on the IRT A Division. The consist will be the Train of Many Colors, R33/36 Redbirds. Color palette of Red, Green, Blue and Silver.

Route:  line between 137 St-City College and Chambers St

nytransitmuseum.org/nostalgiarides

lol 137th doesn't have a free crossover, you gotta pay again to go over to the other side at that station. Ppl are gonna have to go the other side at 125th.

 

 

I'm so happy they are using my favorite subway cars for the hoilday nostalgia rides! Surprised they choose a local route and terminate at 137th rather than 96th (and relay at 103rd middle).

[Kamen Rider]

… they have gotten REALLY lax on the rules for relaying trains…

 

it might not make a difference, they might just let people stay on as the train runs around to the other side.

[RandomRider0101]

15 hours ago, T to Dyre Avenue said:

That’s one reason why they don’t operate R142s and R142As in the same train. They briefly tried that in the summer of 2001 in both  and  service. 

Yep I learned about that; now that they've made it possible for R143s and R160s to operate as one train in-service, I wonder if that's an encouraging sign that they may try to make the same modifications for the R142s & R142As in the future.

[texassubwayfan555]

8 hours ago, Calvin said:

R33/36 Redbirds

WF of ML?

[Calvin]

1 hour ago, texassubwayfan555 said:

WF of ML?

Worlds Fair = WF